Running Man's Path
by phoward
Summary: Bohannon's on the run for his life & from his past but as they say one's past always catches up. The residents of Hell On Wheels live alongside the circus of the railroad construction with their morals tested. The Cheyenne Dog Soldiers get even more violent. Spirits are broken & boundaries are made, especially when a man's run takes him everywhere in a peace-less & lawless land.
1. Protection's Price

I wrote this a few months back when an awesome facebook fansite for HoW called Hell On Wheels & Then Some had a write and share activity. I decided to upload it to here. I plan on adding more to it.

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**Protection's Price**

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Out in the wild open plains the wind blew through his hair as he kicked his spurs, something useful he had gotten in some random town a while back, into his horse's side. Making the horse run faster than a bolt of lightning. He could hear the snarks of the bounty hunters behind him as they shot at him, bullets whizzing by him. He heard one bounty hunter shout, "Stop runnin' boy, we gona get'cha!"

Well Cullen Bohannon, former Confederate Captain, was not going to let some bounty hunter who was most likely a Yank get him. Oh no, he was fighting his way out of this. A smirk crossed his face as he grabbed his trusty Griswold. He turned around, aimed at the 3 men following him and shot at them. They all ended up falling off of their horses to a fatal death. Cullen then rode on until he heard more shots and felt bullet pierce through his flesh, causing him to fall off his horse and blackout on the ground.

While blacked out a group of Indians ironically lead by Joseph, who had left the camp with Ruth to retrun to his people after the Preacher man went nuts and tried to hurt him for kissing Ruth, came out of the wooded brush only to attack the lone rider that was trying to kill and capture Cullen. Joseph and Ruth, while the other natives fought off the bounty hunter, drug Cullen into the safety of the tree line. "Mister Bohannon, you'll be fine, I'll make sure the medicine man heals you." Was all Joseph had said to a man that he felt under it all was a good man that had just lost his way on life's trail.

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Meanwhile back in hell on wheels Elam was furious with Eva since after all she was expecting a lil babe with Toole, of all people. The Swede knew how to read people, a skill he learned for his survivial back in Andersonville. He knew that Elam was his way to get Bohannon's head. So he walked up to Elam in the saloon and took a seat with him. "Mista Fergusson, I got bounty offer for you." He told the freed man with a sinister smile.

"What's that?" Elam asked with no emotion what-so-ever, only coin flashed through his eyes.

"Go after Mista Bohannon, perhaps kill him, and you get your $250 reward plus a $150 bonus." The Swede slyly propositioned.

"So, $400 to hunt him down?" Elam asked, earning a nod from The Swede. The 2 then shook hands, greed had wn over the freed man again.

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Miss Lily was worried about Cullen, she had feelings for the man whether she wanted to admit it or not. She knew she had to find a way to protect Cullen. Unfortunately that way was getting close to Durant in order to convince him to protect Mr. Bohannon. See, the workers were slacking with their lack of a leader and Lily knew that Cullen could get these men to work. She walked into that creepy Durant's rail car and let out a heavy breath. "Mr. Durant, I'll take up your offer to be-to be your mistress on only one condition." The fair haired maiden told the greedy corrupted man.

"And what's that, Miss Lily Bell?" Durant asked with joy, since he was getting his way. Or so he thought.

"Bring back Mr. Bohannon and protect him, he can get the men working again and get the railroad back on track." Lily smiled, knowing that she had won, just by the look on Durant's face she knew that he knew that she was right.

"Alright, let me wire Senator Crane and get a pardon underway for Bohannon." Durant said even though he didn't really want to deal with Bohannon or the Senator. He knew that by asking this favor the Senator would have a sort of leverage on him….

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But back East whenever Senator Crane was given a wired telegram message from Durant he read it and then chuckled, "Looks like I got you by the short hairs now." Then a bright idea struck him. "Maybe I can get this Southern Gentleman to keep an eye on your little government project for me, yes Durant you're going down my friend. Every favor has a price."


	2. Medicine Man

**Medicine Man**

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Joseph and Ruth sat by Cullen's passed out body as the medicine man donning a furry bear headdress chanted and waved incense over the wound in the white man's shoulder. The medicine man had told Joseph and Ruth that the bullet had made a clean entry and exit of Cullen's shoulder, leaving a very deep and painful hole wound. Different chants had been done, this was maybe the 5th or 6th the medicine man was performing. The medicine man stopped his chants and looked over at Joseph and Ruth. "Black Moon, his spirit wants to stay but his mind, his heart, wants to go. Healing him is taking my energy away. This man's life path is very uncertain. I must talk to the spirits to get guidance on how to heal him. Strangest case of a man I've ever been met with."

Ruth just gave a weak smile and went back to silently praying and reading her bible.

"Then go and seek help from the spirit world so you'll better you're healing powers when you return." Joseph told the medicine man as he looked rom him to the man who had a foot on earth & a foot in the heavens, not knowing what he wanted to do.

The medicine man silently got up and let the tent, heading off to a tranquil place to meditate.

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She sighed and paused her actions of sweeping the wooden plank floor of her makeshift tent home to hold her aching back. Never in all her young years did she think a small baby belly could make a back her so bad. She smiled, making the tattoo on her chin contort a bit, as she thought of being a mother to her baby. Eva was happy that her and Mr. Toole were expecting, even happier that he had made her his wife as soon as she told him the good news about him being a Papi. Eva was happy with her life, Mr. Toole was a good walking boss and they made good money. They had a nice tent with a bed, table, chairs, stove, trunks, and vanity station. That was much more then she'd ever had in the brothel. Chuckling to herself she went back to sweeping the floor. No, this wasn't how she thought she'd end up but it was how she liked it. Her and Toole certainly were honest folk now. He had truly changed his ways too. Yes, he still went to the saloon to get a drink or so but he was never mean or violent and he always read to her the good book; he was even teaching her how to read and write which was more then Elam ever did. Elam…last she heard he was on a mission from death for the Swede to capture Bohannon, a man who he was susposed to be friends. Eva snorted to herself, shaking her head. Loyalty was something Elam didn't have…Elam was only loyal to Elam and the nice clanking sound of gold.

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Lily was lying in bed, dressed in a cotton-silk nightie, hands clenching the covers to her neck as she let a silent tear roll down her cheek. She hadn't moved from her spot all morning; it was now way past noon. Her shame had paralyzed her. She knew what she had done had been for a good cause, to save Cullen Bohannon's life, but she still felt sick. She even wondered if that rustic man would even still want her after finding out what she had become.

Lily was broken out of her thoughts whenever the railcar's door burst open with a load bang, revealing Mr. Durant holding a telegram. "Senator Crane sent word that he's taken care of the pardon for Bohannon. In no time the wanted posted will have pardoned stamped on them."

"That's good news, Thomas." Lily sighed with a smile, a smile that was as heavy as her heart.


End file.
